1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray CT apparatus (X-ray computed tomographic apparatus) for reconstructing images of the inside of a subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is an X-ray CT apparatus which reconstructs images of the inside of a subject by emitting X-rays to the subject from multiple directions, and handling the X-rays having passed through the subject as projection data.
To acquire and reconstruct the images of the inside of the subject by the X-ray CT apparatus, various settings are required, including: scan conditions such as tube voltage and tube current of an X-ray tube and X-ray emission time; a scanning method such as dynamic scan and helical scan; and a scanning range.
Accordingly, in a recent X-ray CT apparatus, scan operations are divided into small operation states, including: storage of information given to images to be scanned, such as a subject ID and a subject name; review of a scanning range by scanogram scanning; setting of scan conditions to determine scan conditions by dividing the scanning zone into small positions such as head, chest and abdomen; scan planning for minutely specifying the scanning ranges; bed moving for moving a bed to the scanning start position; and a scan operation for scanning as desired. An operator of the apparatus sets the operations at each stage of operation, completes the operation stage by stage, and finally acquires the desired images of the inside of the subject (see, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-204960).
As a result, it is not required to set all the conditions at a time to scan in the subject, and demand for professional knowledge of scanning of the operator of the apparatus is considerably alleviated.
However, an operating method peculiar to an X-ray CT apparatus used still demands professional knowledge and skill. Along with continued development of the X-ray CT apparatus and rapid progress in the medical technique, specifications of the X-ray CT apparatus are changing, and operating methods are also changing. Besides, operating methods vary depending on manufacturers and types of X-ray CT apparatuses.
Therefore, an operator of the apparatus not experienced sufficiently in a specific X-ray CT apparatus must set the conditions at each stage of operation of the X-ray CT apparatus while referring to an operation manual and checking an operating screen of the apparatus, and prompt inspection may not be always expected.